IROQUOIS MYTHS AND LEGENDS 



83 



feet were sandaled with strips of the deerskin, and as Ah-ne-ah 

 looked into his eyes she beheld the face that had smiled to her 

 from the spring! 



Seneca flute used in playing ceremonial music 



The owl and eagle-winged warrior took her hand, and as he 

 gently led her to the edge of the forest, related to her the mystery 

 of her strange night journey. 



He was Oh-swe-da, the Spirit of the Spruce, and guarded the 

 spring from the sunrise to its noon. With his eagle wing he could 

 fly to the sun, with his owl wing he could wander the whole forest 

 in the night and until the shadow was close to its border. 



Oh-swe-da had welcomed her only to warn. Och-do-ah, the Bat, 

 was hovering in the shadow which was so near, and Och-do-ah 

 would destroy. He poisoned the spring water when the sun turned 

 away, and the wings of Och-do-ah grew broader as the night came. 

 He belonged to the night and his death watch. 



Oh-swe-da held fast the elm bowl to warn Ah-ne-ah away. It 

 could not fill. She must see the shadow and flee, but alas! the 

 Och-do-ah had seen her, and had sent one of his helpers to take 

 her to the fires below where the witches were dancing the death 

 dance. 



But Oh-swe-da was freed from the spring, and followed to her 

 rescue. He had snatched her from the witch fire, and now she 

 was here! But the penalty for lingering too late at the spring 

 must be paid — Och-do-ah would have his prey. She had escaped 

 him, but was doomed! 



When they had reached the corn plains the story was ended, 

 and Ah-ne-ah returned to her home. 



Soon after, there came a pestilence to her people, and a famine 

 was upon them. Hundreds fell victims to an epidemic, and day 

 by day the beautiful Ah-ne-ah was fading away, until one summer 

 morning at the vanishing of the dew Ah-ne-ah disappeared. The 

 lodge where she had faded to death was empty, and when her 

 people entered its door a strange silence was there, not a sound 

 save a rustling as of vanishing wings and the whirr of a flying bird. 

 But by the side of her couch were two fallen feathers, one of the 

 owl, the other an eagle! 



But the faithful Ah-ne-ah had related to her people the terrible 



